Reading the Apple tea leaves: Cheaper MacBooks coming?

In the wake of Tuesday's Let's Rock Apple event, our own Tom Krazit positeda round of possible MacBook updates in October. More circumstantial evidence today, in the form of revised estimates by AmTech Research analyst Shaw Wu.

Silicon Alley Insider reports that Wu is cutting his Apple revenue estimates for the remainder of 2008 and for fiscal 2009, citing a belief that even affluent consumers are feeling the financial crunch, and that Apple may respond with lower prices.

"We continue to believe that MacBook Pro and MacBook are due for refreshes with more radical redesigns, likely at a special event later this fall. In addition, we are picking up that MacBook Air could see a minor refresh and potential price cut to increase its value proposition as build plans have slowed from earlier robust levels as customers have opted for MacBook or MacBook Pro instead."